Details of 'queerer than ever' pride parade yet to be decided

It usually takes place on Ponsonby Rd, but one Pride Board member has other ideas.
Photo credit: Getty Images

A parade in Ponsonby may be replaced by a strike-like march up Queen St, according to the Auckland Pride Board.

Speaking on Newshub's The Outlook podcast, board member Zakk d'Larte said a decision is yet to be made.

"Whether we look at full road closure, whether we look at a partial road closure with escorts front and back like the Hare Krishna parade, whether we look at a full march like the teachers do up Queen St and don't tell anyone we're doing it - we just don't know what form it will take."

Mr d'Larte said the parade has failed to involve the whole community, and its Ponsonby location may be part of the problem.

"A lot of people haven't come to the parade purely because of that reason that Ponsonby is not for them. Will we move it? That's not a definite yes or no either."

Numerous sponsors and participants have been pulling their support for the event since early November when it was announced the Pride Board wouldn't allow members of the New Zealand Police to march in uniform.

The board staved off a vote of no confidence earlier this month, and at a members' meeting earlier this week, some in attendance left with the impression the parade had been cancelled all together.

Journalist Andrew Whiteside, who attended the meeting, reported the parade was just one of three events confirmed as being cancelled.

"Board member T'ai Paitai stated that the 2019 gala, parade and party have all been cancelled. He did state there was the possibility of a much smaller 'march' at some point, but the decision about when and where needed to come from the community," he wrote on his website andrewwhiteside.com.

Mr d'Larte said reports of the parade's demise were false, and the board is waiting on feedback from the community as to what form it would take.

"It will have a renewed vision - it's not going to the parade we are used to, but we don't think that's a negative at all. It's going to be beautiful and queerer than ever."

When asked if the board had failed in its goal to involve more people than ever before, Mr d'Larte said no.